An Unashamed Felinity: Trains
by XPeculiarityX
Summary: First fanfic ever... please R&R. Chapter 10 is now up! Why were Alecto's last words to the tribe I'm sorry and why was Misto the only one who understood why?
1. Unison

The Junkyard at night wasn't the safest place to prowl alone, especially when you are not quite yet of-age and kinda short.

Alecto sighed, then shivered; nights alone were cold. '_alone' being the operative word. _she thought, _No mate, no sweethearts, no anything._ Alecto snorted bitterly, as she thought of Munkustrap and all the other toms. She didn't value her chances with any of them.

Macavity stood, fur rippled oddly be the snowy breeze. Not long. Only a matter of weeks, provided his target made their moves. That depended on their courage... but he was sure that they had plenty to spare for a small mating-dance.

Alecto frowned. It wasn't exactly prudent to request a mating-dance off an already mated ,_ and as far as I see, happy,_ tom. Which one, she wasn't sure, but she had an odd foreboding about one of them, and that was the one she felt most attracted to. Damn.

Munkustrap was watching his mate, Demeter, sleeping, with an odd feeling in his stomach. It wasn't love, hate or too much eight day-old fish. he had tested these emotions with, eyeing up other Queens (no change, but slight guilt), staying with Demeter all day (no change, but the need to pull his head-fur out), and eating less old fish. No change. _What's wrong with me?_

Alecto paused and glanced around, sensing the presence of another.

Macavity paused and glanced around, sensing the presence of another.

Munkustrap paused and glanced around, sensing the presence of another.

They all moved at once in a grim unison, pelting off in three directions, same speed, same foot, same reason. They had sensed each other.

Munkustrap pounded for the centre of the junkyard, smelling Macavity's lingering odour of darkness. "ALONZO!!!" he yelled, panicked, "QUAXO!!!" he had also caught a faint trace of roses. Alecto.

"Bloody hell." Alecto was running full pelt toward the centre of the junkyard, smelling faintly rubber. _that's his fault for sleeping in a tyre! _She thought, as she halted rapidly at the unmistakeable stench of singed material, fire. Macavity.

Macavity grinded his teeth angrily. He was running swiftly away from the centre of the junkyard, noticing the sweet aroma of summer flowers. Alecto. And the definite tang of his dirtied brother. Munkustrap.


	2. Tail

New Chapter! Don't know who I'm telling this, seeing as no-one's read it, but hey. Enjoy.

* * *

"Munkustrap!" Alonzo had appeared at his side, still dizzy with sleep. _what this time in the morning?_ _"_It isn't..."

"MACAVITY!!!!" Demeter was shrieking and pottering around like a headless chicken.

"I think she just answered the question. Quaxo, please." the tux that had appeared at his elbow quickly vanished to where Demeter was screaming blue murder. _she's my mate, _he thought, _but I'm getting tired of these 'Macavity' episodes. muttering his name in her sleep. _"Um, Alonzo?" he tugged the harlekin aside. "One other thing..." he proceeded to tell of what he'd seen, smelt, but not what he'd felt.

"Alecto? The... red calico? Why would she be out at two in the morning?" he paused, eyes wide, "She didn't get," he lowered his voice, "_taken?_"

" Not as far as I know." Alonzo's tense frame relaxed. "Bit of a crush, have we? You're a bit old for her though. she isn't even a queen yet!"

"Ha, ha. I'm not over the hill yet." He paused. "We need to find her, though."

Alecto was almost there, ignoring the painful cut on her flank from some barbed wire, which was bleeding profusely. She skidded in a pool of axle grease and landed at Munkustrap's feet. _thank heaviside not on my ass. _She thought, straightening up and examining her cut. _ow._

"Alecto!" Alonzo was quicker than Munkustrap and helped her up. "D'you want Jenny? That looks painful."

"No... I'm fine, just get me something to sit on for a mo while I sort it out." Alonzo toddled off obediently.

"How're you going to sort that out?" Munkustrap was confused.

"I'm not. I needed him outta the way." she smiled. Munkustrap's stomach back-flipped and the odd feeling from the past few weeks was gone.

"I don't know what happened, but..." Her smile faultered as he said this and she bowed her head.

"Is... is it _my _fault? Did I lead him here?" she sighed, leant against the bonnet of a car and looked earnestly up into Munkustrap's electric-blue eyes. "You said in a meeting, before I came, that you hadn't had any 'Macavity Disturbances'. Intresting euphamism, for a battle of bloodshed, by the way."

"How did you.." Munkustrap began, amazed at this young cat, the epitome of calm, while his own pulse was nearly bursting through his veins.

"I watched the junkyard for a while, just looking over the daily business and stuff. I wanted to join, but wasn't sure if I could." she looked down and didn't elaborate.

"I don't think it's you." he sensed movement behind him, and Demeter appeared.

"Then who is it?" she breathed dangerously in his ear, as Alecto felt a snarl building in her throat. "Personally, I think it's _you._" She spat the last word at Alecto with venom. Alecto felt heat rising to her face and fought back at it with a resounding snarl that Alonzo heard in the medical car. "You dare..."

"YES I DARE!" Alecto stood to her full height, taller than Demeter, but still dwarfed considerably by Munkustrap, who, inexplicably, felt himself sitting down to aid Alecto's dominating stance. "I didn't ask Munkustrap for an accusation, or an opinion. I asked for the TRUTH!"

"Munkustrap!" Demeter yelped, obviously considerably spooked by Alecto. "Say something! You're my mate!"

Munkustrap didn't bother to sugar the blow. "Not any more, Demi." Demeter gasped and backed off a pace, as if Munkustrap had hit her.

"You don't mean that." she said weakly. Alecto attempted to back out quietly, but Munkustrap grasped her front paw.

"Don't. Stay. I need to ask you what you saw earlier." Munkustrap then let go of her paw as if burned. He turned back to Demeter. "Demi, can I at least explain?"

"Can you?" Demeter said, and perched, shaking with fury on a nearby oven.

"No," answered Munkustrap. "I don't think I can." Alecto jumped back as Demeter slammed past her and leapt at her former mate, claws unsheathed.

"DEMETER!" This time Alecto was shaking with fury, and reacted in time to clasp the gold and black queen's tail. "Stop!" she yelled, in a voice quite unlike her normal. "I said STOP!" Demeter looked up in alarm as acute pain shot up her tail. Munkustrap only needed the second of hesitation, and pushed Demeter off. "Please don't make me do it again."

" You..." She lunged at the kitten, but this time she was held back by another, not Munkustrap or Alecto.

"Demeter. Hold back on your fellow Jellicle." Deuteronomy was firmly gripping her upper arms. "She hasn't done anything to deserve attack."

"But..." Demeter swallowed and her feeble repartee faded in her throat. Wanting to keep her love life out of the Jellicle gossip for as long as possible, she backed off and slinked back toward the shadows of her den, where she now lived alone.

"Alecto?" Munkustrap glanced round. The calico kit had taken the moment of chaos to disappear. "Dad..." Deuteronomy looked down at his son. "You know why this happened, do you?"

"Care to elaborate further on my general guess?" He sat, and listened to the story closely. "And once again, the elusive Alecto has avoided questioning from me. Find her, Munkustrap. Ask her what happened."

"Okay."

* * *

"Okay" Alecto leant tiredly against her dustbin-den, dizzy from continual bloodloss. _if I'd accepted to go to the medical car, then I'd have avoided all of this crap. _

"Please, let me help you." The silver tabby looked at her wound, now extended up her flank and back. Alecto nodded, and collapsed, as he set about cleaning her wound.


	3. Purr

New Chapter! Don't know who I'm telling this, seeing as no-one's read it, but hey. Enjoy.

* * *

Alecto awoke and jerked when she felt a tongue against her back. "Sorry. Do you want me to stop?" Munkustrap sat back on his haunches.

"No, sorry. Um... Aow!" Alecto had rolled back so as to face the tom and experienced a stabbing pain in her back.

"Sshh." Munkustrap carefully moved her to a comfortable position and resumed cleaning the wound. Alecto allowed a gentle purr to form in her throat and Munkustrap glanced up. "You can hiss if it hurts, you know."

"It doesn't." Alecto half willingly let the purr pour out her mouth. Munkustrap looked into her yellow-brown eyes and grinned.

"Does it hurt that much?" Munkustrap paused, "That was a snarl, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't." _oh heaviside. why did I say that?_ Munkustrap's eyes widened and he looked questioningly at Alecto.

"A purr?"

"Maybe." She lay down and allowed Munkustrap to finish and bind the cut. He tied a knot in the bandage, and Alecto carefully got to her feet. "Thanks." she smiled, tentatively, but Munkustrap noticed the radiance nonetheless.

"I'm sorry about Demeter," He said, breaking the soft silence.

"Okay. Wish you'd tell me why you did break up with her, though." She looked at Munkustrap, unsure whether to continue.

"I don't really know, myself." Alecto nodded and padded away. Munkustrap watched her leave, confused. _a purr?_

((these two scenes, above and below, happen in parallel time))

Demeter sat in her crate, crying, snarling, and batting at anyone who shoved their head in the flap at the front. She looked up and swiped.

"Hey! Don't maim your only sister!" Bombalurina withdrew her head and stuck it in again. no swipe came. _thank heaviside, that first one nearly caught my head-fur._

"Sorry, Bomba, just annoyed at the moment."

"Annoyed? Why?" Bombalurina asked, unknowing about the spat earlier.

"Your late mornings with Tugger are starting to deprive you of gossip, obviously." Demeter snapped, angry. "Munkustrap dumped me. Happy?"

"Oh Heaviside! Why?"

"I don't know!" she sobbed. "He just did."

"D'you want me to find out?"

"No. Yes. No. Okay."

"MUNKUSTRAP!" Bellowed Bombalurina, having emerged from her sister's den determined.

Munkustrap had heard Bombi, but chose not to respond. _she can yell at me later, _he thought, and with a feeling of happiness, noticed the pain in his heart had lifted. _odd._

"MUNKUSTRAP!" Bombalurina was in no mood to rant at a sleeping figure, so she pulled him roughly by the shoulder and he tumbled out of the dilapidated Ford Cortina.

"Hey!" He said, as he pulled himself from the dirt on which he had landed face first. "What was that for?"

"Oh, I dunno, same as this!" she kicked him viciously. "DUMPING MY SISTER! WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

"Bomba!" Munkustrap yelled, dodging other kicks and then backing off to a safe distance. "Bomba, please."

"First, don't call me Bomba, second, don't BEG!" She aimed another hard kick, but Munkustrap was ready and she missed. She responded with a swipe which drew blood frow his right shoulder.

Alecto, who had been watching from afar, decided to intervene. "Hey, hey, hey!" she jumped between them and landed without a sound. "Come on, we went through this earlier did we not?" Bombalurina, evidently remembering a 'little chat' that her and Alecto had engaged in after Bomba lost her temper at Pouncival and took a swipe at the poor kit, lay off Munkustrap. Bombalurina, already a queen and one of the tallest females, easily pushed Alecto back, and she was thrown at Munkustrap, who threw his arms around her stomach to stop her falling.

"Hey, Bomba!" Munkustrap was in authority now. "Leave her, she's got nothin' to do with it!"

"I think, I just involved myself." Alecto said meekly, and broke out of Munkustrap's grasp. "Heaviside, I'm sorry." She turned to glare at Bombalurina for Munkustrap's injury, but the red queen had disappeared. "I think it's my turn to look after you." She smiled embarassedly and sighed. "Can you sit down?"

Munkustrap smiled and sat himself down heavily on an old soap box. "You keep saving me today," he looked at her sadly and said: "Why? Do you pity me?"

"Munkustrap! I live in a dustbin, eat rats and am sick every other month from malnourishment! I definitely don't pity you. No offence."

"None taken. You live in a dustbin?"

"Yes. The one I collapsed against this morning." She looked ashamed. "Have I had anything to do with you and Demeter y'know..."

Munkustrap answered, but knew, really, it was the wrong answer.


	4. Imaginary

New Chapter! Don't know who I'm telling this, seeing as no-one's read it, but hey. Enjoy.

* * *

Macavity was on the brink of desperation; his well woven plan had backfired slightly on him, as Target2 had yet to ask Target1 to dance. _calm, _he told himself, _the ball is but two days away, plenty of time._ His scarred face contorted into a half-smile.

Alecto was on the brink of desperation; her mind buzzing with accusations at herself, as Munkustrap and Demeter remained hostile to each other. _calm, _she told herself, _it's not your fault, they can sort it out, plenty of time . _Her young face allowed her a half-smile.

Munkustrap was on the brink of desparation; his stomach filled once again with a mixture of guilt, the odd sickness from before and..._ i lied to Alecto, _he told himself, _i'll tell her the truth, plenty of time. _His handsome face sheepishly formed a half-smile.

* * *

Munkustrap's shoulder was healed, and Alecto's flank was healing well, but badly scarred."It'll fade though, hopefully." Alecto had no idea why she was telling Rum Tum Tugger this, because he wasn't concerned really about permanent scarring, and had been staring at her ass for a full 10 minutes while they had been talking. "Tugger."

"Hmm.?"

"Tugger! In a minute I'm gonna walk away and you'll be left staring at an imaginary kit's ass."

"Oh, sorry." Now his eyes had slid upwards to her chest.

"Once again, I'm gonna walk away and this time you'll be staring at an imaginary kit's chest. Tugger, I'm up here."

"Bast, I'm sorry. But, hey, if it's any consolation, you have several magnificent body-parts." Alecto scowled and Tugger felt a seductive smile playing on his lips.

"You disgust me."

"You know ya love it." he let the grin take over and ran a paw over her shoulder.

"Tugger, I'm warning you." Alecto was in no mood for the maine coon tom's antics. "Where's your fan-club?"

Not wanting to broach the subject of the rest of the kits, Rum Tum Tugger started on the Jellicle Ball. "Who're ya goin' with then?" he asked, lamenting inwardly at Alecto's lack of intrest in him.

"No-one. I just thought I'd turn up and... y'know."

"Watch from the side?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Alecto sighed, and turned the conversation on Rum Tum Tugger. "How about you?"

"Me?" Alecto nodded. _bugger, _thought Tug, _I don't know. _"Hey, got plenty of laydeez hot on my tail." _yah, real smooth Tugger. Point out how many admirers you have, make her feel like utter crap. _Alecto, however, allowed herself to smile and continued.

"What about Bombalurina?"

"Nah, too clingy. It's your uh, first ball _and_ your coming-of-age?" He was avoiding talking about himself.

"Uh-huh. Kinda nervous I'll stuff it up, though."

"You won't. Anyone to dance with during it yet? 'Cause ya know, if ya don't then I could..." He was interrupted by Alecto, obviously offended.

"Na, thanks Tug, already got someone." Alecto lied. _have I?_ Alecto thought, _even I didn't know that!_

"Ah, okay, Al. see ya 'round gorgeous." Tugger departed, feeling decidedly sour at whoever was going to mate with the queen-to-be.

* * *

Munkustrap was sitting alone on the tyre in the centre of the junkyard, mulling over the past two day's events. "Munku?" Mistoffelees was approaching slowly at his side. "Munku, are you okay?"

"Of course, Mistoffelees, or are you Quaxo at the moment?"

"Mistoffelees." The tux replied, jerking a paw over his shoulder and sending a shower of sparks over Pouncival, and setting his head-fur alight. Misto didn't notice. "Me and Vikki have been teleporting the kits! Didn't see Ally, though."

Munkustrap raised and eyebrow. "Ally?" He, for some reason, felt his stomach tighten at the fact that Misto had already chosen a pet name for the cat.

"Yeah, you know. Alecto." Munkustrap once again, felt his stomach tie itself in a knot. Mistoffelees only gave pet names to those close to him. "I'll go and see where..."

The tux was interrupted by the one and only Rum Tum Tugger, who was running, at considerable pace, thanks to his long legs, through the mingle of kittens playing tag, having been abandoned by the tux, and a few elderly queens, who were comparing cross-stitches. Tugger leapt over, past and between these aforementioned Jellicles and bounced up the slope of the junk, elbowing Pouncival, head-fur doused. He glanced up, indignant and then cowered as Tugger stood above him, paying no attention to him and yelled annoyedly:

"WHO THE HELL IS MATING WITH ALECTO TOMORROW?"


	5. Breathless

New Chapter! Don't know who I'm telling this, seeing as no-one's read it, but hey. Enjoy.

* * *

"WHO THE HELL IS MATING WITH ALECTO TOMORROW?" Tugger was yelling in his direction, but Munkustrap didn't pay him much attention. Instead, he was watching Alecto herself, darting discreetly towards the dustbin where she lived.

"Tugger," the tabby said, desperate to ask Alecto if... "Tugger, I don't actually know, we gave her the descision to make herself, as we don't know who she's friendly with. Did... did she say who?"

"Munkus! For Bast's sake, if she had _told _me then I wouldn't be here would I?!" Tugger paused. "Munkus?" He had disappeared.

* * *

"Al?" Munkustrap was standing over the bin where Alecto had professed to live. "Alecto, it's me."

"Who's me?" Alecto's muffled voice asked, though she knew full well who it was.

"Al, it's Munkustrap." Alecto's head now pushed itself slowly out of the swing lid, which connected with the back of the bin with a loud thump. She leapt out and closed the lid, evidently ashamed of where she slept every night. "Sorry to um... barge in on you, but, um... have you...er, chosen a tom, yet?" _don't worry, _he thought, _your nervousness didn't show. much._

"Oh. No." the kitten looked at him imploringly. "Can't I do it next year and someone else do it?"

"Alecto! It's tomorrow!" Munkustrap exclaimed, but then regretted it as she looked ashamed and softened his tone. "Please?"

"But, I don't know any toms that would want to!" She yowled desperately. "I don't have any tom friends minus you and Tugger, can't ask you, or Tugger," _mind you, I don't _want_ to ask Tugger. _"So, all in all, there's no chance of me coming of age, because no tom likes me enough!" She finished, breathless, and Munkustrap laid a placating paw on her shoulder.

"Al," he began. "You don't need to worry..."

"Don't I?" Her speech was guarded, but she let that down a bit when she leant against Munkustrap's tabby shoulder-fur and began to cry softly. "Do you promise?" She barely breathed the last question, but it burned Munkustrap inside at how much trust she was willing to put in him.

"I promise." He stroked her ears gently with his paw. The pair stood, crying and comforting, sobbing and soothing, for several minutes, until Munkustrap broke away. "You'll _never _dance alone."


	6. Ever

New Chapter! Don't know who I'm telling this, seeing as no-one's read it, but hey. Enjoy.

* * *

Munkustrap stood, for some ten minutes, by Demeter's guess, staring after the red, white and black kitten that had so obviously captured his imagination. She sighed, amd then a grin worthy of the Hidden Paw himself swept her usually sweet, pretty face. _yes, she would test... who did he bound towards?_ _Who would he instinctively save?_ With a whip-like flick of her tail, she sent a towering pile of junk cascading towards the throng of commitee Jellicles. She bounded into the chaos to conceal herself and yelled; "MAAACAAAVIIIITYYYYYY!"

"Oh Bast," he said, leaping up from Alecto's den-area and pelting to protect Demet... no. Old Deuteronomy.

"Shit." Alecto had tumbled head-first out of her den and landed on her feet just in time to see Demeter jump from the pile of junk, laugh wickedly and immerse herself in the tribe of panicked cats.

"What the...?" Macavity looked up from a peke he was viciously attacking and the injured animal got away, leaving it's attacker standing in a small puddle of blood, ears alert. He had heard the familiar shout of; MACAVITY, but, for once, he wasn't actually there at all.

Alecto looked around dazedly, as a large quantity of rubbish had just barreled her way and hit her, full force. She collapsed under a second avalanche of waste, unconcious.

* * *

Munkustrap was worried, Alecto was missing, everyone else accounted for. He had easily prevented himself from solely protecting Demeter as this day was one of the rare occasions that his father had turned up, so he immediately circled him. The rest of the tribe had slunk into the shadows, most numb with fear. Rum Tum Tugger appeared at his side, the maine coon alert, and scared.

"Have you seen Al?" his voice low, and his eyes misty.

"No... not since..." Munkustrap's paw drifted casually to his cheek, still damp with the calico's thankyou. He blinked, waking himself up. "Search." he said.

"Search, but, Macavity could of..."

"It wasn't Macavity."

Tug looked incredulously at his younger brother. "You what?"

"It was... someone else."

"Rumpleteazer? Man, I should give her a good telling off and a smacked bum." Munkustrap, knowing that Tugger's idea of a telling off and a smacked bum meant something rather perverted, diverted Tug's attention.

"No, I think it was Demeter." Tug raised his eyebrows, but agreed to look for Alecto with Alonzo.

* * *

"Sooo, Lonz. Gotta bit of a crush on Al?" The harlekin shook his head, his white patches on his face turning slowly pink. The two toms were padding through various piles of rubble, searching for the kitten. Alonzo kicked the foot of a high mound of waste moodily and Pouncival was dislodged from the peak. He landed in a heap at the maine coon and the harlekin's hind paws.

"What _is_ everyone's problem with me today?" He yelled and scampered off to his mother.

"Lonz, did ya hear that?" Tug gestured in the direction of where he had heard the noise. Alonzo shook his head, but Tug took control. "Dig." They shoved aside lumps of junk for ten minutes, until the harlekin found Alecto, her lower body seemingly crushed by a large dresser, also known as Tugger's 'yard home.

"Alecto? Can you hear me?" Alonzo was desperate. "Al!" he started sniffing loudly.

"Oh, move over!" He said, and pressed his paw gently to the cat's throat. "She's alive." Alonzo looked sheepish "Gotta get her to Jenny"

"Who put you in charge?" Alonzo asked indignantly.

"I did." answered Tugger, who proceeded to move the dresser of Alecto's legs. Once it was clear of the cat, he lifted her up and carried her to Munkustrap.

"Oh Bast... what happened?" His face was drained of colour and his whiskers were quivering.

"Dresser, nearly crushed her legs." Munkustrap motioned to Jenny and the Gumbie cat pottered over, and began on several nasty cuts on her thighs and hind paws.

"For the love of heaviside! Someone wake her up." Jenny ordered, bustling around Alecto's unconcious form. Alonzo took Al's paw and whispered in her ear.

"Al... Al? Hey, honey, wake up, it's okay." Alecto's eyes flickered and one opened. She stared at Alonzo and stated croakily:

"If you ever call me honey again, I'll hit you." Tug let out a bark of laughter and rolled over, clutching his stomach.

"Ha! Priceless!!"

Alecto turned her head slightly so she could see Tugger.

"And as for you," she said lightly. "Never call me babe, or I'll bestow a worse fate on you." This time it was Alonzo's turn to laugh.

* * *

Alecto sat, in the infirmary the next morning watching the world of the Jellicles go by. The mood was excitable, hyper and mad, with everyone rushing about doing last minute preparations. Al herself, had been ordered to rest, in order to do her dance later. She was in no fit state to go off cavorting with the kittens, according to Jenny.

"Can I join you?" Munkustrap sat beside her and smiled. "What's up?"

"Does it look like anything? I'm not even allowed to stand up!" She smiled and looked into Munkustrap's clear blue eyes. "You?"

"Nothing, just, y'know organising absolutely everything." This made Alecto laugh.

"Hold on... the excitable one in here is asleep can you believe." She prodded the lump under the blanket next to her. "TEAZ!!!" she yelled, and the lump stirred

"Watcha want?" the cockney calico queen sat up.

"Munku's here." Said Alecto, and Munkustrap's heart leapt at the use the pet name.

"'Ey Munk! Wassup? I woz jus' tell'n lil' Ally 'ere tha' you'd come! Di'n I say dat Al?!" Alecto made a face in Munkustrap's direction and grinned.

"Teaz? Go back to sleep, hun." Rumpleteazer nodded, yawned and immediately started to breathe rythmically. "She drank a bit too much last night." Munkustrap smiled and turned to face Alecto. To his surprise, she had started to cry silently, eyes closed, head lolling back against the window of the car used as the infirmary.

"Al? What's up? Tell me."

"I, well, you see..." Munkustrap put an arm around the cat's heaving shoulders, and he felt their heads draw closer together...


	7. Peaceful

New Chapter! Thankyou to Adi Sagestar for reviewing, rest of you lazy bums (and i say that in a loving way) should follow her lead. No flames, please, they only make me laugh.

* * *

Munkustrap opened his eyes. He felt groggy for a moment and then his eyes came into focus. The Infirmary. "Bugger." He mumbled as he remembered what he had just done. But had he? He had no actual memory of anything past where he had comforted Alecto...

"Munku?" Alecto was curled up in a small ball near him, but straightened out and yawned, wincing with the pain of several deep cuts. "Are... are you still here? You've been just sitting there for two hours, I think..."

"Yeah, I'm still here. I think I fell asleep, though." Alecto smiled slightly and propped herself up on one elbow.

"How long until the ball?" She asked, still watching Munkustrap intently.

"About six hours. Why?"

"I think I'm starting to get a bit excited." She answered simply. Eyes still on Munkustrap.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You look confused."

"Confused?"

"Yup. And guilty." Alecto was hitting the problem soundly on the head. "Why?"

"I don't know... b-but I think... I've done something very wrong."

"Oh?" Alecto looked surprised. "Tell me." Munkustrap told her, but not who, because, if he had, then she would know. "Well, what's wrong with kissing somebody?" She said, blatantly answering Munkustrap's unasked question.

"Nothing Al, absolutely nothing." He got up to leave. " I'll see you later."

_what in the name of crapola was _that_ all about? _Alecto thought, _ah, well._

"Alecto!" Jenny interrupted Al's quiet train of longing and nervous thought. "Love, you're allowed to go. You too, Rumpleteazer." Al, seemingly quite unaware of her injuries, leapt up.

"How long now?"

"Half an hour."

"HEAVISIDE!" Jenny laughed at Alecto's reaction to the lack of time to get ready. "You could have let me go EARLIER!"

"But you looked so peaceful." Was Jenny's response.

"DO I LOOK BLOODY PEACEFUL _NOW_?"

"No, I can't say you do..." Alecto was out of the Jeep as fast as she could go. She patted her head fur... straggly. Stopping under a Ford Cortina, she started with her grooming, she desperately needed it. Little did she know, Munkustrap was sitting directly above her, doing the same.

* * *

Alecto was ready... ish. "Alright?" Cassandra was sitting near her, elegant and tense.

"Gonna pee myself, I think." Cassie laughed softly and slunk into the shadows.

"Off you go. You're on." Alecto felt a small push and she was out. Then she nearly passed out. But carried on anyway.

Macavity was watching, waiting and confused. About now was when the tom would dart out to dance with the new queen. He felt sure it would be Munkustrap, who's only weakness was young red queens... according to Mungojerrie. No tom was running on... this was wrong. He sighed... the young cat in front of him was beginning to slow her actions, and showing signs that she was about to run. He decided to make his appearance.

"MACAVITY!" He pelted out, not wanting a confrontation. None came, no-one was challenging the Hidden Paw, instead, every Jellicle was looking for their protector. He grabbed Alecto around the waist and left the scene of her humiliation. She didn't struggle, but hung limp in his grasp. She wanted to leave, perhaps not in this way, but she was ashamed.

_promises are not to be kept._


	8. Panoramic

New Chapter! Thankyou to Adi Sagestar and Queen Em for reviewing, rest of you lazy bums (and i say that in a loving way) should follow their lead. No flames, please, they only make me laugh.

* * *

Alecto sat, humiliated, at the feet of Macavity. She reluctantly absorbed her surroundings. A roughly thirty-storey up deserted penthouse apartment, probably once modernly furnished, but bare, apart from several upturned and empty shipping crates and a crudely made wooden table. Across the whole of one wall was a massive single-glazed window, with sliding panels, overlooking a busy (but silenced) train-line. 

"Alecto." Macavity finally spoke, having been silent for the journey to the flat. He said her name quietly, but not without an edge of venom. "What happened there today?" He taunted her cruelly, but then regained his repose and signalled for her removal. Two cats materialised from the shadows. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer.

"You." Alecto spat angrily, betrayed. Again. "How could you do this to me?" Rumpleteazer turned her back on Macavity in order to take Alecto's shoulders and winked. Mungojerrie crouched to take her hind paws and did the same. As they exited the room and slowly progressed downstairs to a smaller apartment, they passed several other hench-cats, standing as senitels at the fire-escape routes, to ensure any captive's containment.

* * *

"What in heaviside are you doing working for him?" She yelled as soon as they had got out of earshot of the final senitels on that floor. 

"Spyin'." Mungojerrie said. "For Munkus. We jus' tell Maccy woteva come inta our 'eads." Rumpleteazer nudged him and said:

"Includin'."

"Includin' dat he had a bitova fing for youn' red cats." He hung his head but then countered brightly, "But we's gona getcha outta here." Al remained silent.

"We'll smuggle ya in some food lata." Said Rumpleteazer, as they left. "Promise."

* * *

Alecto sat on a broken sofa two days later. _yet another unkept promise, _she thought, as her stomach painfully protested at the lack of food. She sat up as the modified door latch slid across, but sank down again as Macavity strutted in and grinned wickedly. 

"Hello gorgeous." He said and roughly pulled her up to stand and turned her so her back was facing him. He then pulled her back so she was leaning against his chest. Unsheathing one claw, he traced his paw gently over her chest and down her hips. She surpressed a shudder as eight male Jellicles burst into the abandoned building. Macavity was, for now, preoccupied by Alecto. He drew a claw across her throat and the calico gasped as it drew blood. Content for the moment, he pulled her by her paw and ran upwards to the main penthouse.

No sign of the raging battle below had reached the upper floors, but Alecto had already sensed the end.

* * *

"We're already outnumbered!" Yelled Skimbleshanks, engaged in battle with a bloodthirsty street-cat. 

"Then we need the real fighters!" Was Alonzo's answer as he watched Tugger with disdain, the maine coon was fighting crappily, so as not to mess up his head-fur. Munkustrap responded with an ear-splitting yowl, and the females burst forth into the riot.

The noise had reached Macavity and his captive in the penthouse. "JELLICLES! No, no worry, The Following fight to kill..." The Jellicles were pelting up through the floors, in search of the not-so-Hidden Paw. Munkustrap, Alonzo, Tugger and Skimbleshanks were first to the twenty-ninth floor, striking down all senitels that crossed their path with regeret. Many of the fallen hench-cats were former Jellicles and friends.

"Be my mate. Lovely, faithful, complying_, willing_ mate" Macavity laboured the word _willing_, and it filled Alecto with disgust.

"Yes." Even Alecto was shocked by the readiness of her answer. She had no idea how to stop Macavity, but she decided she would have to make it up as she went along.

* * *

The group of toms burst into the apartment, followed by some queens, just as Alecto slashed at Macavity with her claws outstretched, broke out of his grip and drove her hind paw straight into the centre of his chest. He staggered backwards, smashed through the glass of the panoramic window and plummeted towards a train-track below. A dull thud reached the ears of the Jellicles. 

Silence. Deathly Silence. Until, moments later, a train rocketed past, over the track where Macavity surely lay.

Munkustrap wrenched the door open and yelled to the still fighting crowds: " MACAVITY'S DEAD!!!" A loud resounding chorus of cheers and cat-calls, yowls, distraught and jubilant shouts reverberated through the building. He took a step towards a shell-shocked looking Alecto, who had not uttered a word or moved since her triumphant attempt on the Hidden Paw's life. Coricopat and Misto had staggered to join the group by the door, followed by Tantomile, all looking a little punch-drunk.

"We've... got... a bad... feeling about this." Coricopat and Tantomile panted, and both looked at Misto, equally as tired, who nodded. "It's about Al..." he was interrupted by Alecto herself, who was crying, ears flat against her skull, hackles raised, tail thrashing and whiskers quivering.

"Al...?" Munkustrap was confused. "Al, it's alright, he's gone." The calico was backing slowly towards the window.

"You'll never dance alone? Is that what you said? Well, YOU WERE WRONG! 'Cause I call that alone. Unless what you meant was dancing with humiliation, that was ALONE!"

He put his paws on her shoulders and leant down so his nose brushed her ears. He felt her shudder and pull away "Al... I..."

"Luca's gone.You'll never dance alone." She kissed him lightly and turned.

She jumped.

With no intention of landing on her feet.


	9. Pulse

New Chapter! Thankyou to Adi Sagestar for reviewing, rest of you lazy bums (and i say that in a loving way) should follow her lead. No flames, please, they only make me laugh.

* * *

No-one spoke.

No-one moved.

And then, all at once, they all ran down through the masses of Jellicles and hench-cats, none moved to stop or ask, but all were nursing injuries and tending to friends.

Munkustrap glanced around at the cats running with him. All looked sickened and beside themselves. He couldn't shake off the feeling that if she was dead it was his fault. He had let her down.

* * *

He had exited the infirmary shortly after he woke. From there, he had gone in search of Alonzo, Quaxo and Tugger. Instead, he had stopped and sat, for an hour or so, on top of a car and washed himself.

When the time came for the ball, he set off, and for the first part of it, enjoyed himself, but, just before Alecto's coming-of-age, he had slunk off to see to pressing matters (the kittens were buggering about, and now was not the best time), only to be accosted by a determined Demeter.

"Hiya." Munkustrap rolled his eyes and turned away from her. "Hey... you don't suppose we could..."

"No, I don't. Goodbye." The queen grabbed his tail playfully, and, elsewhere there was a shout of: "MACAVITY!" Munkustrap jerked his head around and headed for the centre of the 'Yard. By the time he had got there, Macavity had made his exit, and the tribe had withdrawn to the shadows.

* * *

"Oh... Bast." His eyes wide, he glanced around and yelled for the tribe. Gradually, the cats returned... apart from one.

This one was now lying, almost motionless, in a skip.

"ALECTO!" Alonzo spotted her first and the group rushed to her side. Jenny leant over her and called her name.

Her eyes fluttered briefly and she wheezed gently

"Can you hear me?"

Only a ragged breath in response.

Munkustrap sighed and felt his dusty and blood stained face stream with salty reminders of... he came to as Jenny was yelling for him.

"MUNKUSTRAP!!!" She was frantically pointing at Alecto, and he had been contemplating meaningless crap, things that couldn't help. "STAUNCH IT!" He only then noticed a gash in her side, where crimson was staining her white stomach.

"Oh Bast." She was rapidly losing blood, and there was an incessant white noise ringing in her ears, her legs and arms refused instruction and she could barely open her eyes to catch a final glimpse of Munkustrap. She was dying. Her reflexes were slowly failing, and she used the last of her strength to utter:

"I'm so sorry." Her last words. An apology for something only one of the group knew about. The Tux's eyebrows shot up and he gasped silently.

Jenny stopped her efforts and felt for a pulse. Nothing. She exhaled briefly and the present tribe members backed off, hanging their heads.

* * *

Jenny entered the room four hours later, and the tribe members instinctively looked up.

"I'm afraid, well, I couldn't do anything." The Jellicles leant back against the walls. "B-but there was one th-thing..."

Silence

Silence

"She was pregnant."


	10. Days

Here you go, next chapter! The usual thanks, and the prods to get reviewing!

* * *

Three weeks later Munkustrap was sitting silently at the watchpost, alone. He barely bothered to glance up at any sound or movement, just stared at the ground, soundlessly.

He didn't jump, or even twitch as there was a crash at the entrance to the yard. He didn't look up as a shadowed figure advanced to tower above his somnambulant form. Nor did he acknowledge that the figure sank down in front of him.

"Could you tell me where I might find somebody?" Seemingly for the first time in days, Munkustrap sat up and spoke.

"I might." He finally looked up to the cat in front of him. Tall. Chocolate brown.

"I'm looking for Alecto." Munkustrap stopped dead. "I'm her mate. I think she'll be surprised to see me though, because my tribe told her I had died in a fight just over three weeks ago..." The cat continued, not noticing Munkustrap's expression. _her mate. he's her mate. _

"Excuse me," He said. The tom looked up. "Alecto died twenty-one days ago."

It all came flooding back. That night. That tom. That young queen. Alecto. The day he met her. And a series of never-ending flashbacks, all punctuated with a single scream of a cat, left alone.

_Was he the father of Alecto's unborn dead kittens?_


End file.
